More on Intenet2 from the New World Symphony

Former New World Symphony pianist Josh Nemith left a comment on a recent post of mine about the New World Symphony;s Internet2 projects. I thought that it would be worth highlighting for folks out there interested in this technology:

I just thought I would share something about my Internet2 experience while I was at New World, since you mentioned me in this post. The last performance I gave there (in May 2002) was actually a live Internet2 broadcast of myself and a few others playing a few pieces by Piazolla. The concert was aired live to a convention center in Washington, DC, which was seemingly packed with a good-size audience (we had a live video feed back from the event). I don’t exactly remember but I think it was for some sort of technology/broadband conference. At any rate, our performance took place in Lincoln Theatre — which was completely EMPTY outside of the broadcast tech, Howard Herring, and maybe a couple other administration folks.

I think this has some interesting implications for performers. In some ways, it didn’t feel like a “real” performance because there wasn’t the usual “audience vibe” that one gets from the physical presence of people in the hall. But I also felt a little more relaxed, so maybe there are some aspects of this that could be of consequence for those of us who feel higher levels of performance anxiety.The concert went off successfully, but somehow the applause coming in through the TV speaker didn’t elicit the same sensation I’d usually feel after a performance. Guess it cuts both ways!

It’s good to hear that New World is still playing a leadership role in Internet2 endeavors. Thanks to Matt for his original post and also to you Jason for reminding me of my own involvement in this very interesting technological development.

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Jason Heath is the host of Contrabass Conversations, a podcast devoted to exploring music and ideas associated with the double bass. His blog and podcast are highly regarded in the music world and have been featured as top offerings in the world of arts and culture for the past decade.

An active double bass performer and teacher, Jason is a member of the Board of Directors for the International Society of Bassists. Jason previously served on the faculty for DePaul University, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Trinity International University. Jason’s former students hold positions in the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Grant Park Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and Philharmonie Südwestfalen.

Comments

Compliments to Josh, and sorry I missed the performance! I wasn’t around Miami in 2002, I guess – but I suppose that new technology will give us the opportunity to hear (or miss) thousands of performances every day, if not every hour!

Sort of like being at the bass convention, having to rush around constantly just to catch a snippet of everything you want to see. Or knuckle down and choose, decide what’s most essential. Which I guess is the choice life forces us to anyways, with or without technology!